Shocks

[Smitty]

Does anyone know how I would test/adjust my shocks? They were rebuilt by a well known rebuilder 2-years ago.
Car seems to be starting to bounce around like a cork again. They are full of oil but a couple of them are leaking..

Thanks, Steve

[Kurt in NJ]

I made a "test arm", I tried to copy the length in the picture of the service bulltin article --long enough to clear the bumper, then I guessed that the weight looked about 20 lb ---on mine I could almost stop movement with the needle valve closed.

[Jim Huseby]

I don't have your answer, but I have some information that may help to confuse the issue. I have been using the cheap friction shocks on my open wheeled speedsters for ten years. Those shocks, even with better grade bolts and other necessary improvements go out of adjustment every 200 miles. At first I was using a torque wrench to test the arm movement resistance and once I had arrived at a reading that corresponded to the best handling I could re-set them to that reading. But that required removing and reinstalling the links every 200 miles! A definite inconvenience, even though there are no fenders in the way. Then I realized that for any arm resistance there must be a corresponding center bolt torque. Once I learned what that value was, I no longer had to mess with the links. None of this is helpful to you but this: I did learn what unexpected wonders correctly adjusted shocks will do. Since the fifties, I have always heard from the older guys that the Houdailles are very good shocks and, in fact, they were almost universally used on American racing cars through the forties and still on winning Indy cars into the 50's. I hope and expect that if you find a good rebuilder you will be pleased with them.

[Richard Lorenz]

A slightly different test technique is to hang 10 pounds on the end of a shock arm. The end of the arm should drop 5 inches in about 20 seconds. This was with a 6 1/2 inch long rear arm, so the same movement should occur using 18 foot-pounds of torque. These numbers are my best estimate.

If your movement is faster than the above, change to a heavier oil.

[Fred K-OR]

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Steve,

Again I am not an expert on these things, but I think you can adjust them by adjusting the needle valve. The needle valve is on the end of the shaft that the arm attaches to. I think if you turn it in (clockwise) they should get "stiffer" and out will get them softer. Again no expert on this so maybe some of the other guys that know more about this will give you the correct stuff.